Gaming News

Todd Howard Talks About Starfield: Shattered Space Expansion, Creator's Kit, and a 'Big Update' Coming Soon

Bethesda fans won’t have to wait much longer before they finally get their hands on Starfield’s first expansion, Shattered Space, and there is even more content on the way, too. Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard updated fans wih more information on post-launch content during an interview with Kinda Funny. When talking about how Starfield will be fleshed out throughout the year, he teased that Shattered Space is scheduled to launch this fall. Details on Shattered Space remain a mystery, though some fans speculate that it will focus on House Va'ruun. In an interview with IGN last year, Howard promised plans to add “a lot of add-on content,” going on to suggest that the team was looking forward to fleshing out Starfield with...

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Remedy Shares Max Payne Remake Update as Tencent Nearly Triples its Investment

In its quarterly earnings presentation, Remedy Entertainment shared an update on its remake of Max Payne 1 and 2, as well as the news that Tencent has nearly tripled its investment in the studio. In a report for shareholders, Remedy announced that Max Payne 1 & 2 remake is expected to move into "full production" during Q2 of 2024 (April through June of 2024). Additionally, Codename Kestrel — Remedy's upcoming multiplayer action game formerly known as Vanguard — is still in the concept stage. Elsewhere, the Control 2 team is finalizing its proof of concept and is expected to advance to the "production readiness stage" during Q2. Codename Condor, a multiplayer game set in the Control universe, is in "the final development stage before...

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Google Play Posts Bizarre Sonic Tribute, Leading Even Sega to Ask 'What Are You Doing'

Google Play recently decided to pay tribute to Sonic the Hedgehog on social media. Reasonable, given that the famous mascot is currently having a bit of a cultural moment. The only problem? Most of it was completely wrong. Over the weekend, Google Play’s X/Twitter account took it upon itself to make an impromptu Sonic The Hedgehog appreciation thread where the chili dog-eating hero gets older the more you scroll through it. But the Google Play’s scrapbook-esque thread's dabbling in historical revisionism of the blue hedgehog would spark a wave of corrections, even prompting Sega's own social media account to ask what was on every Sonic fan’s mind: What are you doing? Google Play’s Sonic-themed thread, which sporadically covers the...

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Todd Howard Seemingly Teasing Two Unannounced Fallout Projects

With the Fallout TV series topping 65 million viewers to become one of the most watched Prime Video shows ever, the pressure is on for more content set in the wasteland, and Bethesda is seemingly ready to oblige. In a new interview with Kinda Funny Games, director Todd Howard appeared to tease two unannounced Fallout projects, saying, "We look at what we are doing with the [Fallout] franchise and then we say do we still feel good about — I can't reveal it now — but here is our runway for Fallout as a franchise." He continued, "When is Season 2 happening. What are we doing on mobile. What are we doing in [Fallout 76]. What are we doing with this thing. What are we doing with this other thing. And when are these landing. And again if...

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Jackbox Is Finally Making an Adult-Themed Party Pack

Jackbox players who are older and have been wishing for an adult-themed Party Pack: your prayers have finally been answered, as Jackbox Games announced at ID@Xbox today that its next party pack is aimed at the older demographic. As the name implies, Jackbox Naughty Pack is the next entry in the party game franchise and is designed specifically for adults. Though there are no details, such as what mini-games would appear in the pack, we do know it is out this year. Jackbox Games has released a new party pack nearly annually since the first installment was released in 2014. Each Party Pack entry consists of five mini-games designed to be played ideally with three or more friends while everyone uses a device with an internet browser...

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Pixar Fest 2024: The Best Merch and Popcorn Buckets at the Big Disneyland Celebration

There's something truly magical about special events at Disney Parks, and one of the most exciting parts is all the new, exclusive merch you can snag up and wear or display with pride. Keeping up with that trend, Pixar Fest has a ton of wonderful options for fans of all ages, and Disney invited me out to Disneyland to check out what guests can expect from the event that has officially started and will run through August 4. While there is a ton to talk about, the popcorn buckets may just be the highlight of all the merch out there. Pixar Fest will allow guests to purchase three buckets - a Coco Guitar, an Alien Pizza Planet Truck, and one modeled after Up's Dug that's exclusive for Magic Key holders - and they are all spectacular. You...

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ID@Xbox April 2024: Everything Announced

Microsoft just held its latest ID@Xbox, a digital showcase showing many fantastic indie games headed to Xbox and PC. From existing games getting updates, such as Palworld and Vampire Survivors, to new details on existing indie games, like 33 Immortals and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, today's showcase likely had a game for just about every type of player. If you missed today's ID@Xbox showcase, don't worry. IGN has recapped everything announced, which you can read below. Astor: Blade of the Monolith is out on May 30 Originally announced as Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients before the rebranding, Astor: Blade of the Monolith is a hack-and-slash ARPG. Players control the titular character, Astor, as he ventures off to unravel the...

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Skyrim Player Takes Immersion to the Extreme By Adding 2 Haptic Feedback Suits to Simulate Real Pain

One dedicated fan of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has added two haptic feedback suits that simulate real pain to their already $15,000 mass immersion setup. As reported by GamesRadar, GingasVR on X/Twitter shared how they've made their Skyrim virtual reality experience even more immersive by adding touch and feeling to the world. GingasVR, who already boasted an extensive VR setup that includes an HTC Vive headset, three Vive trackers, microphones, and face trackers, as well as tons of mods, has added an OWO haptic feedback suit, a haptic feedback vest, and smart plugs hooked up to fans. The first suit contains electrodes that shock the player when they receive actual damage in the game, while the second is purely for vibrations to...

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Game of Thrones MMORPG Reportedly in Development at The Finals Publisher Nexon

Game of Thrones is reportedly the basis of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game set from The Finals publisher Nexon. Sources told Redanian Intelligence that the game will at least partially be set in the North with locations such as Winterfell and The Wall both featured. It will reportedly take place around Seasons 4 and 5 of the hit HBO show, when Roose Bolton is Warden of the North and Jon Snow and Sam Tarley are still posted at The Wall. Players will allegedly explore Westeros through a story campaign threaded throughout the MMO, coming across the aforementioned characters and others as they do, according to Redanian Intelligence. The HBO show cast apparently will not return for the game, and players will create a...

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Sonic Superstars Is Down to Just £12.32 at Amazon

Sonic Superstars is down to just £12.32 on PS5 right now at Amazon in the UK. It's also down to £12.35 on Xbox, a pretty hefty discount for a £54.99 game that only came out in October of last year. Still, Sonic fans, if you haven't yet got around to playing it, this is likely the cheapest it's going to get so check out the deal ASAP while it's still in stock. We'll leave a handy link just below! In our review of Sonic Superstars, we said: "I started hedgehog over heels for Sonic Superstars, but the more time I put into it, the easier it was for me to see its Eggman-sized flaws. The decision to focus more on exploration was a great idea on paper and creates a unique dynamic to each level, but I wish it hadn’t sacrificed speed in...

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Escape From Tarkov Dev's 'Shameless' Controversy Response Called Out By Fans and Esports Company

Escape From Tarkov developer Battlestate Games has been called "shameless" and "tone deaf" over its response to controversy caused by a $250 expansion, with fans and even its esports associate calling out the studio. The community behind Escape From Tarkov — a hardcore and realistic online first-person shooter currently in beta — erupted on April 26 after Battlestate announced the $250 Unheard Edition upgrade, which added an exclusive player-versus-everyone mode amid other extras, and notably wasn't deemed downloadable content by the developer. This meant those who'd bought the $150 Edge of Darkness edition of Escape From Tarkov, which came with a Season Pass and thus "free access to all subsequent DLCs", wouldn't obtain this new...

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Those Who Own Fallout 4 via PS Plus Collection Do Not Get Free Next-Gen Update, Bethesda Confirms

Bethesda has issued a clarification amid confusion surrounding the much-anticipated free next-gen update for Fallout 4, confirming who and who does not qualify. Following last week’s launch of the update, PlayStation 4 and 5 owners were left confused over which version of the game would qualify as getting the native next-gen patch for free when it, at least initially, wasn’t available for anyone. It turns out the free update is only for those who have the game via the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog. That means everyone else has to pay for Fallout 4’s native PS5 version, including those who own Fallout 4 via the now defunct PS Plus Collection. Meanwhile, all Xbox Game Pass subscribers get Fallout 4. PS Plus Collection was a promotion...

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Manor Lords Sells Over 1 Million in a Day, Hits Highest Ever Steam Player Concurrents for a City Builder

Manor Lords’ huge Steam wishlists have translated into a bumper launch that saw over one million copies sold in just a day. Manor Lords launched on April 26 in Early Access form and soon rose through the player concurrents ranks on Valve’s platform. It hit a peak Steam concurrent player count of 173,178 — according to publisher Hooded Horse, that’s the highest ever for a city builder, and even other similar genres, such as GSG/4x/colony sims. That means Manor Lords has enjoyed a bigger Steam launch than the likes of Civilization and Cities: Skylines. Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles, and complex economic and social simulations. It was developed by Slavic Magic, a...

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Hades 2 Technical Test to Wind Down Today, Steam Early Access Release Date ‘Relatively Soon’ After

Hades 2 developer Supergiant Games has signaled the end of the game’s technical test and early access launch soon afterwards. The technical test winds down from today, April 29, at which point it will no longer be available in participants’ Steam libraries, Supergiant said. The developer plans to launch Hades 2 in Early Access on Steam “relatively soon after.” No release date was announced, but the wording of the statement suggests Hades 2’s launch is imminent. Supergiant said the test helped the studio identify and address a number of key technical issues it wasn’t able to find before, and thanked players for their help. Hopefully this will make for a smoother launch. Hades 2 is the sequel to 2020's critically-acclaimed roguelite...

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The Hitman and L.A Noire Goat Simulator 3 DLC That Never Happened

There isn’t another game series more loaded with pop culture references than Goat Simulator. Pilgor, the crazy, ragdoll-tossed, licking protagonist of the series has been getting up to endlessly stupid hijinks for 10 years, and what started as a daft premise built from a game jam idea has now spawned a decade of insanity, spoofing almost every major video game along the way such as Skyrim, Dead Island and even P.T. But not every crazy Goat Simulator idea makes the cut, and concepts based on the Hitman series and L.A. Noire never made it past early development. We spoke to developers Coffee Stain North about how these ideas came about and why they never made it to the finish line. We have one rule. It [needs] a goat. Everything else...

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Street Fighter 6 DLC Character Akuma Finally Has a Release Date — and Yes, His Raging Demon Looks Awesome

Capcom has finally fully revealed Street Fighter 6’s long-awaited DLC character Akuma, confirming a release date and showing off gameplay. The famously overpowered Street Fighter fan-favorite launches on May 22, Capcom said. Owners of the Deluxe and Ultimate Edition or the Year 1 Character Pass and Ultimate Pass for Street Fighter 6 get Akuma immediately when he releases. Year 1 Ultimate Pass owners also receive the new stage, Enma's Hollow. The gameplay reveal, below, shows off Street Fighter 6’s version of Akuma, older than previous incarnations but complete with his famous moveset. Akuma has his air fireball, dive kick, and his teleport move. Capcom saved the best for last: Akuma’s iconic Raging Demon attack. It very much looks...

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Helldivers 2 Patch 01.000.300 Makes Big Balance Changes to Weapons, Stratagems, and Enemies

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has released a significant patch for the game that makes big balance changes to weapons, stratagems, enemies, and missions. Patch 01.000.300 includes a much-needed tweak to burning damage, now reduced by 15%. Burning damage was causing chaos to friend and foe alike in the hugely popular PlayStation 5 and PC co-op shooter after a recent buff. Hopefully now planets such as Hellmire, which features fire tornados, will be more manageable. Elsewhere, armors with an armor rating above 100 now also reduce damage on headshots, and victory poses will now only play for the extracted, which means, as Arrowhead put it in the patch notes: “no stolen valor on my ship.” As for weapons, it’s worth checking out the...

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Tekken 8 Reveals Second DLC Character, Brand-New Story, and More

Bandai Namco has revealed its roadmap for Tekken 8 throughout the rest of 2024, including the game’s second DLC character, new story, and plenty more. The second DLC character is Lidia Sobieski, who is teased at the end of the roadmap trailer, below. In the world of Tekken, Lidia is the Prime Minister of Poland who made her debut in Tekken 7 as DLC in the Season 4 Pass. For Tekken 8, Lidia launches this summer, with early access for Character Year 1 Pass owners. Meanwhile, in the fall, a brand-new story involving Eddy Gordo launches as a free update. Other additions include a sweeping balance pass in the spring (the first battle balance adjustments for the season are coming soon, with patch notes for update 1.04 set to be released...

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166 Bucks Off a PS VR2 Bundle, Super Mario Savings on Switch, Manor Lords Dropped, and More!

It's time to press start on another week of mad savings. I'm mighty keen on a few double packs (like Quake 1 + 2, Deathloop + Ghostwire, etc). Not to mention "whole shebang" collections going for a fraction of the price of a single game (see: Yakuza Remastered Collection, Trine Ultimate Collection, etc). In retro news, I'm celebrating the 33rd birthday of Super Mario Bros. 3, the pinnacle of the NES' library. My most vivid memory of this is sitting in a HOYTS movie theatre and getting my mind blown during its unveiling in the climactic tournament of The Wizard (think: a 100 min Nintendo infomercial). Two years of tortuous waiting later, I scored a copy and was forever lost to its secret pipes, warp whistles, and peerless platforming...

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Daily Deals: Glorious GMMK 2, Apple Watch Series 9, Armored Core 6

The weekend is here, and there are loads of exciting deals you do not want to miss! This Saturday, new deals on some amazing video games, technology, and devices have appeared, and we've rounded up our picks. The best deals for Sunday, April 29, include the Glorious GMMK 2, Tekken 8, 2024 MacBook Air, Armored Core 6, Apple Watch Series 9, and more. Glorious GMMK 2 Keyboard for $64.99 This keyboard from Glorious is one of the best deals you can find today. It's a 96% full-sized keyboard that features a numpad and function buttons. Each of the switches is hot-swappable, which isn't a feature you see too often on a keyboard at this price point. Additionally, the standard keycaps included with the GMMK 2 are double-shot and sit atop...

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Daily Deals: Tekken 8, Apple 2024 MacBook Air, Apple Watch Series 9

The weekend is here, and there are loads of exciting deals you do not want to miss! This Saturday, new deals on some amazing video games, technology, and devices have appeared, and we've rounded up our picks. The best deals for Saturday, April 27, include Tekken 8, 2024 MacBook Air, One Piece Odyssey, Apple Watch Series 9, and more. Tekken 8 for $49.99 Tekken 8 is the latest major fighting game to be released for the current generation of consoles. Over 32 characters are already playable, far surpassing titles like Street Fighter 6 or Mortal Kombat 1. The online modes far surpass their predecessors, with good netcode and many different ways to play. In our 9/10 review, we stated Tekken 8 is " an amazing new entry in the long-running...

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The Original Fallout Games Deserve The Diablo 2: Resurrected Treatment

As great as it is to see the 3D Fallout games enjoying another moment in the sun following the popularity of Prime Video’s excellent TV adaptation, the games I most want to direct new fans toward are the classic original Fallout and Fallout 2. Aside from being where it all began, those are the stories that hold many of the answers people coming off of the show are looking for: the origins of Shady Sands, the Brotherhood of Steel, the Enclave, what happens when a vault’s water chip fails, and much more. Their stories, scenarios, and memorable moments have stuck with those of us who played them for decades, and bringing those same experiences to an entirely new audience that’s ravenous for Fallout content seems like a slam dunk...

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5 Biggest Changes in Fallout 4's Next-Gen Update

The next-gen update for Fallout 4 is finally live, bringing Bethesda’s 2015 RPG up to par for modern consoles and PCs. But what exactly does next-gen update mean, especially in 2024? We’ve broken down the biggest changes that are now available in Fallout 4 thanks to Bethesda’s update, which not only includes graphical and technical changes, but even additional content as well. Remember to check out our list of “Things to Do First” in Fallout 4 for anyone jumping into the game the first time with the next-gen patch. Powered for Current-Gen Consoles The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are miles more powerful than the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles on which Fallout 4 originally released. The new update will bring the nearly...

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Some Helldivers 2 Players Suspect the Hand of Joel in Their Dramatic 11th-Hour Victory

Helldivers 2 players are celebrating a dramatic 11th-hour victory that saw hundreds of thousands of the digital soldiers unite to defend 10 worlds from the undemocratic grip of advancing bug-like Terminids, and soulless Automatons. However, some members of the community have found themselves wondering whether Arrowhead’s game master Joel may have stacked the odds in their favor to stave off defeat. Developer Arrowhead Studios' smash multiplayer hit Helldivers 2 tasks four player squads of democratically enthused players to embark on PvE missions to wipe out enemies and complete objectives. Doing so directly contributes to a collective effort to liberate or defend a mass of disparate worlds arrayed around a galactic map, which has...

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Ubisoft and Xbox Are Taking Sellers of Counterfeit Assassin's Creed, Minecraft Merch to Court

Ubisoft and Microsoft appear to be tag-teaming a legal crackdown on people who try to pass off fake versions of Minecraft and Assassin's Creed official merchandise as the real thing. In a complaint filed on April 19, 2023 in the Illinois Northern District Court, Ubisoft alleges that a number of individuals, corporations, and other companies have been selling unlicensed and counterfeit Assassin's Creed merchandise via a number of different storefronts including iOffer, Wish, Amazon, and the sellers' own storefronts. Per the complaint, Ubisoft says these items are "inferior limitations" that nonetheless use design elements and Assassin's Creed trademarks to deceive consumers into thinking the merchandise is genuine. Ubisoft alleges the...

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10 Great Medieval Games to Play Right Now, Including Manor Lords

The European Medieval period has always been an era of fascination, especially in games. This age has inspired some of the best low fantasy romps and strategy games that have endured as classics for generations. With that in mind, we’ve made a list of our own, with samplings throughout the ages that may inspire you to pick up a title or two if you’re in want of something truly, medieval-y, immersive. While some of these games are no doubt a head above the rest, this list includes some of the best games either set in the Medieval Times (also known as the Middle Ages), or have worlds and scenarios inspired by this time period. Crusader Kings Series Crusader Kings remains endlessly entertaining in how it weaves the social dynamics of...

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Elden Ring Players Who Really Hated Malenia Can Now Buy Her Detached Arm for Almost $400

Elden Ring fans rejoice, for you can now preorder a limited run, life-size replica of the demigod Malenia’s golden prosthetic right arm, courtesy of a partnership between publisher Bandai Namco, and collectibles distributor PureArts Studio. The faithfully recreated polyresin limb is currently available to preorder through the Bandai Namco store for $389 and has an estimated delivery date of December 2024. The replica — which is limited to a run of 3,500 units — features a fully articulated wrist and faithfully detailed golden finish, along with a metal base and wall mount option. Malenia’s two-phase boss fight is arguably the toughest scrap that Hidetaka Miyazaki’s 2022 smash hit Elden Ring has to offer, thanks to the swordswoman’s...

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Shinji Mikami Wanted to Leave Tango Gameworks Years Before He Did

Famed game developer Shinji Mikami, known for directing the original Resident Evil and The Evil Within, has revealed why he left his former studio Tango Gameworks despite founding it himself. In an interview with Byking, translated by Automaton, Mikami said he actually wanted to leave Tango eight years before he did, meaning just five years after the Evil Within, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Hi-Fi Rush developer was founded. Mikami didn't leave until 2023 due to the responsibility he felt towards ongoing projects at Tango, he said. His reasons for wanting to leave weren't animus, as Mikami said he wanted to create an environment where young talent could prosper through development which included shorter project cycles, for example. Mikami...

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IGN UK Podcast 746: Is Gravy on Fish Wrong?

Cardy and Matt are here in a rare two-hander this week as they discuss their time with the new action RPG Stellar Blade, the early access version of No Rest for the Wicked, and Netflix dark comedy, Baby Reindeer. Plus, as always there's time to talk about various uses of gravy. What's the best thing to put gravy on? Get in touch at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com. IGN UK Podcast 746: Is Gravy on Fish Wrong? IGN UK Podcast 745: Our Favourite 5 Hours or Less Games IGN UK Podcast 744: We Don't Want to Set the World on Fire IGN UK Podcast 743: Hellblade 2, Stellar Blade, and Salad Gravy IGN UK Podcast 742: Solid Snake Smoking Meats IGN UK Podcast 741: Dragon's Dogma 2 Has the Sauce Continue reading...

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Fallout 4 Next-Gen Update Riddled With Issues

Bethesda's highly anticipated next gen update for Fallout 4 is riddled with issues across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. The next gen version was finally released on April 25, 2024 (around 18 months after it was announced) but the several gigabyte update hasn't been met with much fanfare. The Steam version of Fallout 4 appears most wrought with technical issues, though PlayStation 5 players have struggled to obtain the update at all due to an availability error and confusing messaging from Bethesda. Xbox players, on the other hand, don't have access to the game's Quality Mode, meaning they can't experience one of the main appeals of the next gen update: 4K resolution on ultra settings. This specific issue was confirmed on X/Twitter by...

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